Key Player for Alabama

Nelson Chenault-US PRESSWIRE

FAU allowed nearly 26 yards per completion against Georgia—which means Alabama could have a field day through the air.

Freshman receiver Amari Cooper recorded the first touchdown grab of his career against Arkansas, and this game should provide him with a golden opportunity to build on last week’s solid performance and showcase his ability to make big plays down the field.

The receiver unit is deep with talent and experience, but Cooper’s continued development could provide quarterback A.J. McCarron a dynamic go-to option moving forward.

Alabama Will Win If ...

US PRESSWIRE

Considering that the Tide enter this game as 51-point favorites, its safe to assume that Alabama will win just by showing up on time (h/t, Andrew Gribble, al.com).

Even though the Sun Belt Conference has enjoyed a recent run of success against the SEC—with teams like Louisiana-Monroe and Western Kentucky knocking off SEC schools earlier this season—the Tide are expected to roll over the hapless Owls with relative ease.

Prediction

Entering a lean portion of the schedule, Alabama is unlikely to face a significant challenge until October rolls around.

The main intrigue in the Tide’s second home contest of the young season will be to see if Alabama’s defense can earn its third consecutive shutout.

While that is a real possibility considering that FAU ranks 105th nationally in total offense, the Tide may show enough mercy to allow the Owls at least one opportunity to put a dent in the scoreboard.